The Shiro Legacy
by LucarioZer0
Summary: This is essentially the Rp storyline for my characters in SWTOR. It's set in the same general time as the events of SWTOR. And it's rated T, because it will incorporate a lot of elements from the game(which is itself rated T), and because there's a good amount of violence involved, so of it a bit on the graphic side.
1. Prologue

Prologue

The planet Tython. It had been the home of the Jedi Order ever since the sacking of Coruscant. It was a place for padawans to learn and grow until they were ready to go out into the larger galaxy and aid in the ongoing fight against the Sith Empire.

One such Padawan, a girl of seventeen named Laila, wandered almost aimlessly through the hallowed halls of the Jedi Temple. She was searching for someone. She had questions on her mind that she was hoping to have answered.

Coming around a corner she spotted her quarry. He was a human male of average height with pitch black hair. With the exception of his head, his entire body was covered by Blue Scalene armour, the black metal broken up by inexplicably glowing lines and points of electric blue. Two lightsabers hung from his belt, one on each side of his waist.

Laila picked up her pace to catch up with him. When she was only a few feet behind him she said, "Master Jakkaru."

He stopped at the sound of his name, turning to face her. His eyes were blue, and there were three ragged scars on the left side of his face, running from his forehead to his jawline. He smiled as he recognised her. "Oh, hello Laila. I wasn't expecting to run into you today. Figured you'd be out training. Is there something I can do for you?"

She hesitated. "I…Master I wanted to ask you about…well…"

She trailed off, not knowing how to ask the question in her heart. But then, Jakkaru already knew what she wanted to ask. "You want to know why I denied your request to become my student, correct?"

She nodded. "I wanted to know what I did…or what I could do to change that."

Jakkaru smiled. "Laila, you're a good student. A bit emotional, but that's normal for someone your age. In time I think you'll make for a great Jedi. I've always thought you would go far. But…the teachings of **my **Master aren't something I can pass on lightly."

"But why?"

"Because the things my Master taught me aren't always in line with the Jedi Code. I'm only willing to pass on his lessons to someone I know I can trust implicitly."

Laila shook her head. "But why do you think you can't trust me?"

"It's not a matter of thinking I can't trust you. It's a matter of not knowing whether I can."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"Not necessarily."

Laila sighed. "Then what can I do to show that you can trust me?"

Jakkaru thought for a moment, then said, "There is one way, I think. I admit it would present a…significant personal risk to me…but it would tell me for sure if I could trust you."

"What is it?"

Now it was Jakkaru's turn to hesitate. "I…well I could tell you a story. I could tell you my story. My life is one full of secrets. Things that shouldn't be revealed. But…I could tell you. If you were to swear to me—without knowing what you'll hear, mind you—that you would never reveal any of what I tell you, and you were to hold to that promise, then just maybe I would consider you trust worthy enough to be my student."

Laila thought for a moment. If she were to agree she might regret doing so, depending on what secrets he shared. But then, she had respected him above any other Master for as long as she had known him, and she couldn't think of anyone she would rather have teach her. In the end, it really was a simply choice for her.

Her decision made, she nodded and said, "I promise to you that I wouldn't tell any of your secrets if you share them with me."

Jakkaru sighed. "Alright then. Seeing as you can't be deterred, come with me. This is a conversation for a more private setting, and I would like to change out of my armour."

She nodded and followed after him, the two of them taking a shuttle up to the Tython Orbital Station, where they boarded his ship, a Defender-Class Corellian Corvette. He directed her to the ship's central chamber, where she could wait for him while he changed out of his armour.

When he appeared again he was wearing a black and grey hooded vest over longer sleeves. He took a seat across from her at the little table that was usually used for holo-games. He waited for a moment, both to prepare himself mentally, and as a minor test of her patience. Finally he said, "This story doesn't begin with me. It starts with my father. Tell me, does the name Kuzuri Shiro mean anything to you?"

She shook her head. The name sounded vaguely familiar to her, but that was all.

Jakk nodded. "I'm not surprised. The Council tends toward not advertising the names of those who betray the Order. Kuzuri was born on Coruscant, and when he was found to be Force sensitive, he was taken in by the Order. As he was trained he quickly overcame every challenge they provided for him, and as he grew older it was thought that he would make for a great Master someday. Eventually he trained in the arts of infiltration and the use of a saberstaff, adding him to the ranks of the Jedi Shadows. But for all his promise and strength, fate wasn't on his side.

During a mission his Master was killed, and the loss drove Kuzuri into a rage. He sought out and killed those responsible. But…like others before him…that one act of anger and vengeance changed him. He became obsessed with gaining more power. It was that obsession that drove him to contact the Sith Empire, and to try to leave the Republic behind…


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Dark Shadow

It was night on Coruscant. So bright were the lights of the Republic's capital that the stars above were drowned out, only the very brightest of them being visible in the sky above the reaching skyscrapers and soaring speeders.

But even the sky itself was invisible in the depths of The Works. It was a harsh place, ruled by heat and run primarily by droids. The Works was where the generators and exhaust systems of the city above resided, keeping the inhabitants of Coruscant in the comfort they were used to having.

But among all the droids and machinery, one thing stood out: a lone figure in a dark cloak, running swiftly through the narrow passages. It wouldn't be a much longer trip through these rusty tunnels and catwalks until he would reach his goal. He stopped suddenly, smiling to himself. Did they think he couldn't sense them? Confirming what his senses were telling him, four Jedi jumped down from the level above, coming down through a hole in the rusted orange ceiling. They immediately ignited their sabers, five glowing, humming blades coming into existence.

The closest one raised his emerald saber, pointing it straight at the cloaked figure. "Kuzuri Shiro, you are under arrest for betrayal of the Republic, the Jedi Order, and for the murder of three Jedi, as well as a number of Republic troops."

Kuzuri chuckled and threw back his hood, revealing pitch black hair and a face marred by burn marks on the left side. "It's not my fault they got in my way." Reaching up to the burns he said, "I do wish those soldiers hadn't used incendiary rounds, but they paid for it in the end. And…come to think of it…you four are starting to remind me of the Jedi who were with them."

He pulled aside his robe, producing the long hilt of his double bladed lightsaber. Activating the weapon, he smiled maliciously as a purple blade flared out from each end. "So, who wants to die first?"

When he received nothing but stoic expressions in response, Kuzuri rolled his eyes. "Very well then. Dealer's choice, I suppose."

With a wave of his hand, Kuzuri disappeared from sight. The Jedi leading the group reacted quickly, saying, "Group up! Back to back! We can't let him sneak up on us!"

Just as the four started to form up, on of them cried out in shock, a purple blade protruding from his chest. Kuzuri had materialised behind him, a bored look on his face. "I was honestly expecting more of a challenge. That was simply too easy."

He ripped his saber from the body of the now dead Jedi, the fallen knight's own yellow saber falling to the ground half an instant before his body crumpled under its own weight. Kuzuri turned to face the remaining three. Two male humans and a female Mirialan. He decided, with a sick sort of pleasure, that she would be the next to fall.

The three took up positions around him, forming a triangle in attempt to box him in. His lip twitched in amusement. "Is this really the best you can do?"

Kuzuri reached out with the Force and sent out a pulse of power in every direction, knocking the three Jedi off their feet. Per his decision a moment before, he rushed toward the green skinned woman, reaching her just as she managed to get to her feet. He couldn't help but enjoy the fear in hey eyes as he lashed out at her with his saber. He brought the purple blade down on her, slashing her first from her left shoulder to her right hip, then from her right shoulder to her left hip, cutting her straight through. Her body fell to the ground in four pieces as he turned to face his two remaining opponents.

Both looked shocked at the death of their comrade. Kuzuri couldn't help but notice that the leader Jedi looked especially stricken by her death. Kuzuri smiled wickedly. "Ah…I see. She was someone special to you, wasn't she?"

He received his answer in the form of an enraged howl and the green bladed saber being hurled at him, whirling through the air like a great glowing saw. With a flick of his wrist Kuzuri sliced through the hilt of the oncoming blade, deactivating it in the process. He then quickly covered the distance between himself and the now unarmed Jedi, proceeding to stab the man straight through his heart before the fourth Jedi had any chance to intercept or react. Leaning in close he whispered, "Now you may join her in death."

With a vicious tug Kuzuri remove his blade from the slain Jedi. Turning to face the last one he smiled to himself and thought, _one left_.

Looking upon the face of his remaining opponent, he blinked in surprise, then smiled. "Sen…I didn't recognise you at first. I'm surprised they sent you after me."

Sen widened his stance, holding his two blue bladed sabers out in front of himself in an en garde configuration. "I volunteered to come after you, they didn't send me.

Kuzuri raised a brow. "What would posses you to do that?"

"I wanted to know why."

Kuzuri smirked. "Why? As in 'Why am I betraying the Republic'? Why am I joining the Sith? Am I right?"

Sen nodded. "Yes. I want to know why one of my oldest friends is doing these horrible things."

"It is quite simple really. The Sith can give me power that the Jedi never could."

"All of this, just for power?" Sen shook his head. "I cannot allow this. I am truly sorry Kuzuri, but I must put an end to you here and now."

Kuzuri gave a derisive snort in response. "I doubt you could, but you may try."

Without hesitation or warning, they closed the distance between them, two azure blades clashing with two violet blades, sparks flashing from the contact. Each pushed with all his might, hoping to over power the other. Try as hard as they might, they were simply too evenly matched. Kuzuri's weapon gave him better leverage, but Sen was physically stronger. And still they fought, each trying to gain the advantage, even if only for a second.

Realising they had reached a stalemate, Kuzuri broke the contact, jumping back as Sen's blades swung toward him. Reaching out with the Force, Kuzuri began pulling small chunks of metal and stone from the surrounding walls and floor, sending them straight at Sen. Unprepared for the projectile assault, Sen failed to protect himself and thus his weapons were knocked from his hands. He then felt himself being thrown back by a solid wall of air, landing painfully on the ground.

Sen clenched his eyes in pain. When he opened them Kuzuri was standing over him, the purple blade of his saber hovering an inch above Sen's neck. Kuzuri smiled. "So my old friend, do you still think you can 'put an end' to me?" Though, I think it's rather clear that you cannot. I could kill you, you know."

Determined not to give Kuzuri the satisfaction of an emotional response, Sen simply stared straight back at him.

Kuzuri shook his head. "Always so stubborn. Honestly, I'd rather not kill you. But before you go thinking it's for some sentimental reason, don't. I simply think it would be more entertaining to let you live with the knowledge of your failure."

Kuzuri then deactivated his saber, and turned to continue walking down the path to his goal. Stopping mid stride he added, "Oh, but if you try to follow me, I will kill you."

Kuzuri then left Sen behind, resuming his trek through the winding passages of The Works. It took another ten minutes of travel before he reached the rendezvous coordinates he had been given. He smiled to himself. Even with all of the delays, he had arrived early. All was quiet for the next several minutes, but he didn't mind. He was willing to wait.

The silence was eventually broken by the sound of a lightsaber igniting. Kuzuri turned to face the source of the sound, his eyes coming to rest on a rather attractive red skinned woman with black hair. In her right hand was a saber with a blade that matched the colour of her skin.

Kuzuri raised a brow at the sight. "Is that supposed to be some kind of threat? I was under the impression that the Empire was welcoming me with open arms, not drawn weapons."

"You are Kuzuri Shiro?"

"Was that not clear?" He asked by way of a response.

The woman scowled, but deactivated her lightsaber. "I would watch your attitude _human_. You are in the presence of a Pureblood Sith."

Kuzuri bowed mockingly and said, "My deepest apologies miss Pureblood. Might you deign though, to offer a name by which I may call you?"

She snarled in reply. "You are on thin ice Jedi. As far as a name, I am Iyanayatsu, Dark Lord of the Sith."

"Ooh…a Sith _Lord_ eh? Your superiors must think rather highly of me to send someone of your rank to retrieve me. Also, I feel I should point out that I am no longer a Jedi."

"The distinction is noted. As far as the Dark Council is concerned…they believe you will be helpful in undermining the Jedi and the Republic."

Kuzuri shrugged. "I don't really care about that, as long as I can gain the power the Jedi could not give me."

She smiled for the first time since their meeting had begun. "If it is power you are after, then you won't be disappointed. We can teach you things the Jedi would never even dare to speak of, let alone teach. All you must do is follow me back to my ship, so that we may travel to Dromund Kaas."

"Lead on then."


	3. Interlude I

Interlude I

Jakkaru let out a weary sigh. He had only just begun, and yet telling the story was already taking its toll on him. "So, the two of them travelled to Dromund Kaas, where Kuzuri met with the Dark Council. After presumably giving them plenty of useful information, he began to receive training in some of the…darker applications for the Force.

During his time on Kaas he wound up spending a considerable amount of time with Iyanayatsu. I won't say they fell in love, as I'm not sure that they ever were in love, but they certainly cared about each other enough to conceive a child."

Laila's eyes went wide. "You mean that Sith woman was…?"

He nodded. "Aye. My mother. Though I may not look it, I'm half Sith by blood."

She gulped nervously. "That's uh…surprising."

Jakkaru raised a brow. "Now you can see why I don't tell people about my past, or my family."

She nodded. "It must be awful…knowing that that's where you come from."

"At times I do wish my past had been something other than what it was, but without it I wouldn't be who I am today."

Laila nodded again, slowly this time. "So then…you were born on Dromund Kaas?"

Jakk shook his head in response. "No. My father didn't care for Kaas. All the conniving and political subterfuge among the Sith wasn't to his taste. However, because of his reputation in the Republic, and because Imperial space was home to her, both wanted to stay within the Empire's area of influence. To that end, they chose perhaps the worst possible place to raise a child: Taris."

Laila looked more confused than surprised by that. "But…the Republic had already begun its reclamation of Taris by that point. Why would they go there?"

"You just answered that question for yourself. At that time, the reclamation effort was beginning, but much of Taris was still wild and ruined. All we had to do was live about fifteen kilometres from their forward base, and they never came across us."

"I guess that makes sense. But how did you deal with the wildlife?" She asked, referring primarily to the Rakghouls.

Jakk shrugged. "My parents were a Sith and a Jedi turned Sith. They didn't have much difficulty scaring away the creatures that dared to get with a hundred meters of our 'home'."

She nodded. "Alright then. Continue with the story then."

Jakk took a deep breath. "Okay…let's see. I was born about six months after they had settled in on Taris. Every month or so the Imps would send a small supply shuttle to the planet with the things we needed to survive that we couldn't get on our own. About two years after I was born, my brother, Okammii came into the world."

"How much don't I know about you? I had no idea you had a brother."

Again, he shrugged. "I just don't talk about my family much, or at all if I can avoid it. Anyway…life on Taris was…well far from safe and serene. Honestly, I'm amazed my brother and I managed to live through the time we spent there. I suppose we probably would have died, if not for the training we received from our parents."

"Hold on…you weren't trained to use the Dark Side…were you?"

He shook his head. "We never got that far with out training. But, they may have started teaching us of the darker arts had we spent much longer with them. As it was, we never even realised that are parents were…well…evil. We had no basis of comparison. It wasn't until I was ten years old that my eyes were opened-truly opened-for the first time…


	4. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Loss of Innocence

Jakkaru's eyes opened, blinking away the dreams of the previous night. Had he been dreaming? He remembered so few of his dreams that he wasn't sure how often he had them. Perhaps that was a good thing, as those he did remember were generally unpleasant. But it was morning now, and the light of Taris's sun was streaming in through the small window of the equally small bedroom he shared with Okammii.

Reluctantly, he pushed himself up into a sitting position and swung himself around so his feet hung over the edge of his bed, just half an inch short of touching the floor. He was greeted by the familiar sight of the bedroom he had slept in for as long as he could remember. The walls were bare, the floor was hard, and there was barely enough space for two beds, but it was all he had even known.

Jakk sighed. He really didn't want to get up. He was still sore from the previous day's training. But, he knew there was no point in stalling. If they didn't come out of their room soon, their parents would come looking for them, and that would be far less pleasant than a bit of soreness.

Still wishing to return to the warm embrace of sleep, Jakk stood and in two steps covered the distance between his bed and that of his younger brother. With a role of his eyes he nudged the somnolent bump under the covers, getting a muffled groan in reply. Jakk waited a few seconds, then nudged his brother again. "Come on Okammii, we need to get up."

Another groan issued from beneath the blanket, followed by, "I don' wanna."

Becoming a bit impatient, but hiding it as best he could, Jakk asked, "How come?"

"Cause father will make me duel him again. I still hurt from yesterday."

He could sympathise with his brother's pain, but he knew better than to risk angering their father. "I know it hurts, but it's gonna be worse if we keep him waiting."

Silence followed for a few seconds, then Okammii reluctantly said, "Fine."

He sat up, pushing the covers off himself to reveal an eight year old boy with shaggy brow hair and matching brow eyes.

Jakk smiled, trying to look a bit comforting. "Come, on, we don't want them to come looking for us, right?"

Okammii nodded in agreement, and with that the two of them left their room, entering the main room of their little house, where there mother was waiting for them, looking a bit impatient. Their breakfasts were already on the worn old table that stood in the middle of the room. They were definitely running behind this morning. Upon seeing the appearance of her sons, Iyanayatsu's lip curled slightly, almost as if in distaste. "You two are late. I suggest you eat quickly. Your father grows impatient, and I am not in the mood to heal any punishments he inflicts upon you."

Taking her 'suggestion' to heart, the two sat down and wolfed down the meal, the immediately hurried outside when they were finished. Arriving outside they could see their father standing near the edge of the little clearing that surrounded their house-house being a generous term, as the building consisted of only four rooms.

As they approached, they could tell from the expression on their father's scarred face that he was indeed impatient, but then he rarely looked like he was in a good mood to begin with. He watched silently as they approached, then eyed them for a moment when they came to a stop a few feet in front of him. He let out a sigh. "I recommend that you two not keep me waiting like this again. Am I understood?"

Both nodded compliantly, neither wanting to anger him. Kuzuri gave a satisfied nod. "Good. Then let us begin with today's training. Okammii!"

Okammii flinched in surprise. "Yes?"

"We shall pick up where we left off yesterday. However, today your training moves forward. We will no longer be using practice blades. Now we move to using lightsabers."

Okammii was clearly concerned with that revelation. He was barely proficient with a training blade, and a lightsaber would be far more dangerous.

Jakk was also concerned about what his training for the day would be. He had already proven himself adept at handling a saber in practice combat. Since then, his father had seen fit to throw him into many a dangerous situation to test him. Most of it had involved going out to kill some creature that could potentially kill him as well. Jakk had been blessed with enough luck and had enough skill that he had survived so far, but more and more he worried that he would go out into the wilds and never return.

Those thoughts in mind, he dared to ask, "What is my training for the day?"

Kuzuri smiled darkly. Reaching beneath his robe he produced a silvery cylinder which he then tossed to Jakkaru. He caught it reflexively, immediately recognising it as his mother's saber. It was what he usually used when training lately. "What am I to do with this?"

"You will go out into the wilds and use that saber to slay the first Nexu you come across. You will then return here, bringing one of its claws as proof."

"And what if the first one I run into is in a group?"

"Kill them all."

~SW~

Jakkaru jumped with a start at the sound of something moving nearby. After a moment it turned out to be nothing more than a small rodent, but still his heart was pounding in his chest. A few moments passed before he dared to start moving again.

Hew was ten. Just ten years old, and yet here he was, willingly walking through one of the most hostile environments in the galaxy. Farrazids, Nexu, mutated slugs and Bogstalkers could all be found in the wilds of Taris. But, fearful as those creatures were, the ones Jakk feared most were the Rakghouls.

Rakghouls had haunted his nightmares for as long as he could remember. They were vicious, ravenous, pitiless, and worst of all, infectious. One bite, or one scratch, and you could, and likely would contract the Rakghoul Plague. If you were lucky, it would cause you to die a slow, painful death. If you weren't so lucky, you would begin to mutate, eventually becoming a Rakghoul yourself. The very idea of becoming one of the grotesque creatures sent a shiver down Jakk's spine. He couldn't imagine a worse fate.

The ghouls, and the other creatures haunting the ruins of Taris were the primary reason for his nervousness. After all, a ten year old human, carrying a weapon that he can barely hold, would be a rather easy target for most any predator. But much as he feared the creatures of Taris, he was also unwilling to incur his father's wrath. He had seen his parents fight against Rakghouls and other beasts in the past, and he had seen enough to know he didn't want to be the recipient of his parents' attacks.

So, against whatever survival instincts a ten year old boy may have, here he was, willingly hunting for one of Taris's most dangerous predators. He let out a sigh. One way or another, this wasn't going to be pleasant. Speaking only to himself he said, "I wonder how Okammii is doing right now."

His concern for his brother stemmed from one simple fact: of the two of them, Okammii was weaker. Not that either of them could realistically be called strong, but relatively speaking, there was a notable difference. Whenever Jakk would spar with their father, he wouldn't get to attack very often, but he at least had an opportunity here and there. On the other hand, it would take everything Okammii had just to avoid getting hit.

Jakk sighed again. "Maybe I should just worry about me for now."

As if to agree with that, a low growl came from behind him. Jakkaru whipped around to find the source of the sound, finding himself face to face with the grinning maw of an adolescent Nexu. He had been so focused on his own thoughts that hadn't heard the predator approach.

Fumbling slightly with the weapon, he ignited his mother's saber, a red blade flaring into existence between him and the four eyed feline. The Nexu did not seem to like that its prey was now armed, baring its rows of teeth in response to the weapon's appearance. Jakkaru couldn't help but wonder if it understood that the saber was dangerous.

The Nexu's sinewy muscles moved beneath its fur as it took a step forward, its eyes following the lightsaber warily. Jakk could see its tendons tightening as it flexed its rather sizeable claws. Despite how fearsome the graceful predator may have been, Jakkaru stood his ground, knowing enough to understand that running would be suicidal.

The Nexu took another step forward, its eyes locked on him. Jakk watched its movements carefully, looking for the tell-tale signs of an impending attack. Their eyes met for a split second, and Jakk could feel a bead of sweat rolling down his face. Then, the attack came.

The beast lunged forward, its massive right paw coming straight at him. Jakk responded by jumping back from the stroke, but was a hair too slow and felt three burning sensations as the very tips of claws dragging through the skin on the left side of his face.

With his vision now impaired by rivulets of blood running down his face, Jakk lashed out blindly with lightsaber hearing the hum of the blade slicing through the air followed a second later by a pained howl. Opening his right eye, he just caught a glimpse of the Nexu fleeing. From what he could tell, its gait was off.

Looking down, the reason for the beast's odd movements as it fled became clear. Most of the Nexu's right foreleg had been cut off by his blind slash. Clearly, that had been enough to convince the Nexu that he wasn't worth the effort to hunt.

Jakk knelt beside the limb and severed one of its claws. It wasn't from a dead Nexu, but at this point he wasn't about to go out looking for another one.

Looking at the claw in his hand, Jakkaru was reminded of the blood and burning sensations on his face. Reaching up, he gingerly touched his face, then hissed in pain. There were now three ragged cuts running down the left side his face.

But, at least he was a live. Feeling a bit weak and weary, he turned back the way he came, and began to make his way down the path back to the house.

~SW~

Kuzuri raised an eyebrow at the sight of his son when Jakk stumbled into the house, his face streaked with blood. "Looking like that, I sincerely hope you were successful."

Jakk didn't respond, but simply shuffled up to the table where his parents sat, and dropped both his mother's saber and the blood tipped Nexu claw onto the silvery surface. Kuzuri gave a satisfied nod. "Good. Next time try to do it with out receiving such injuries."

Turning to Iyanayatsu he said, "Heal him, but leave scars, I want him to remember where he went wrong."

She nodded. "Of course."

Kuzuri watched in silence as she used the Force to expedite Jakkaru's healing, until the three bleeding scratches had become three scars. Kuzuri smirked at the sight. "Fitting, I suppose, that you and your brother should both be scarred on this day."

Jakk's head whipped around. "What happened to Okammii?"

Kuzuri scoffed. "He failed to defend himself properly, and I managed to slash him across the left side of his face."

Without another word, Jakk ran off to his room, concern clearly showing on his still bloody face. Kuzuri shook his head with something akin to disappointment. "He's too compassionate for his own good."

Iyana nodded in agreement. "Perhaps he would benefit from time spent training on Korriban."

"I disagree. I would rather take the time to rid him of that myself. However…it may not be such a bad idea to send Okammii."

She raised a brow, the bony protrusion above her eye moving as well. "Why him?"

"He is weak. On Korriban, everyone would be an enemy to him. He would either become strong, or he would die."

Again, she nodded in agreement. "I will contact Korriban then, and arrange to have him taken."

"Do it quickly. I want to be able to focus solely on Jakkaru as quickly as possible."

~SW~

Luckily for Jakkaru and Okammii, the next day was the one day every week that they had off from their training. For Jakk it was a relief, not having to worry about anything for that period. He couldn't help but notice though, that his brother seemed quite…sombre. He was quiet, and spent most of his time starring off into space.

Finally, later in the afternoon, Jakk decided to ask Okammii what was bothering him. Of course, he already had a pretty good idea what the issue was, as through the day, Okammii had mad a habit of touching the scar that now ran across his right eye from his brow to his cheek. Jakk couldn't blame him for that, as he had done the same thing with his own scars.

When the question was asked, Jakkaru was unprepared for the dim eyed stare he got in response. "Jakk…I think…we need to…to get away."

"Get away?"

Okammii nodded. "From mother and father. They…they don't care about us…not as much as they should. I've seen animals protect their kids…but they just seem to want us to be…stronger, like we're just students. So…why don't our parents protect us? Why don't they care?"

Jakk had no answer for that, because Okammii made a valid point. Suddenly, he found himself thinking about that question. Why didn't their parents seem to care? Though neither discussed it for the rest of the day, it was the thought that weighed on both of their minds.

When the next dawn came, the begrudgingly went out into the house, worried as to what their training for that day would be. They found the house empty, and their breakfast waiting for them, accompanied by a note that simply said, "Eat quickly. Do not keep us waiting."

As the note instructed, they hurried to eat their meal, then left the house. Once outside, they were surprised to see their both of their parents waiting for them. It was unusual for their mother to be involved in their training. Whatever was going on, neither believed it would be good.

Kuzuri cleared his throat when they drew close. "Good. You didn't keep us waiting. Today, Jakkaru will be sparring with me."

Jakk nodded to show his understanding. Then, Okammii dare to ask, "What about me?"

Iyana answered him, saying, "You will be accompanying me today."

Okammii's eyes went wide with fear, but he nodded compliantly anyway. Jakk was concerned for his brother, but didn't have long to dwell on it, as his mother began to walk away, his brother hurrying after her. Jakk knew better than to say anything about his concerns, and so watched in silence as they disappeared from view.

Then, his own training for the day began. The hours slipped by as he fought his father, doing everything in his power to avoid further scarring. As the Tarisian sun began to sink lower in the sky, Jakkaru finally sensed his mother's return. Panic gripped him immediately as he realised Okammii was no longer with her.

Abandoning his current duel with his father, Jakk rushed to his mother, asking, "What happened?"

She quirked a brow at him. "What do you mean?"

"Where is Okammii?"

"Right now? On a ship, bound for Korriban."

Jakk simply stared at her, eye wide with shock. "But…why?"

Kuzuri walked up behind, him. "Because, Okammii is weak. But Korriban can change that. Either it will change him, or he will die.


	5. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Escape

Jakkaru lay awake in his room, staring up at the ceiling. It was dark. The middle of the night. He had found it impossible to fall asleep. The events of the past few days pressed heavily on his mind. But even more than that, what kept him awake was the knowledge that he was now alone. He had grown used to the ever present presence of his brother, and now that was gone.

He let out a shuddering sigh. He wasn't just alone. He was scared as well. Scared about what his future would hold, and scared that he may never see Okammii again. But what could he do? He was only a child. It wasn't as if he could just…run away.

He sat bolt upright. That…that was exactly what he could do. He could run away. And he knew where to run as well. His father had made it very clear that he wasn't allowed to go too far to the west, as it was there that the Republic had set up a forward base. It was from there that the Republic was making-rather faltering-attempts at recolonizing their lost world.

Jakk smiled. He could do it. He could flee to the Republic. Then he could find a new life for himself, and maybe even get some help to rescue Okammii. But then…how would he survive the wilds of Taris to reach the Republic in the first place? The only reason he had even lived through his encounter with the Nexu was that he had had his mother's lightsaber.

He sighed. He had no saber of his own, which would mean he would have to steal one of his parents' sabers. He didn't really know how to wield his father's double bladed saber, not to mention it was too large for him to use anyway. That left his only option as his mother's saber.

Feeling a bit nervous, he slid out of his bed, and crept out of his room. He tried to move as quickly and quietly as possible as he made his way through the house. Upon reaching his parents' room, he stopped cold. There was no actual door blocking his entry. But at the same time he found himself unable to move forward. He was afraid. Afraid of what would happen should his parents wake.

He gulped. From where he stood, he could see his mother's saber, resting on a small table beside his parents' bed. He took a deep breath. Part of his training had involved learning at least the basics of using the Force, mostly lift and moving small objects. It would be an intense test of his power, but he could-in theory-take his mother's saber without entering the room. Calming down as much as he could, he cleared his mind of all thought. His father had taught him that powerful emotion would make it easier for him to use the Force, but Jakk found it came easier when he was at peace.

Stretching out with his mind, he reached toward the saber through the Force, imagining it landing in his hand. The metal cylinder twitched, then, shuddering slightly, it rose half an inch above the surface of the table. Slowly it floated, an inch at a time, moving toward Jakk until finally it landed solidly in his hand.

He grinned broadly, panting a bit. That had been the most mentally taxing thing he had ever done, but he had done it. He took in a deep breath, letting out slowly. Tightly clutching the weapon, he turned and walked into the kitchen, taking a few minutes to fill a small bag with what he hoped would be enough food to last him until he reached the Republic. When he was finally ready, he walked out the door, not looking back.

He paused as he reached the edge of the clearing that was around the house. Beyond here, he would be completely alone, at the mercy of whatever Taris could throw his way. Pushing aside his fears, he took a step forward, but stopped in his tracks as he heard the all too familiar sound of a lightsaber igniting.

Fearing what he would be met with Jakkaru turned around, and found himself in the shadow of his father, Kuzuri's saber casting a violet light across the immediate area. Kuzuri stared coldly at him, which scared Jakk more than if he were angry. "And where is it that you are off to?"

Jakkaru began shaking slightly with fear. Mustering what little courage he could, he said, "I'm…I'm leaving. I…I'm going to go to the Republic…to get away from you."

Kuzuri threw back his head, laughing maniacally. "Is that so? And you think you can do this?" Refocusing his gaze on Jakkaru, Kuzuri then asked, "More importantly, do you think I will let you?"

Jakkaru, finding some odd bit of inspiration and courage, ignited his mother's saber and said, "I'm going. Even if you try to stop me."

"Insolent whelp. When I'm finished with you won't be going anywhere for a month." With no hesitation Kuzuri swung the active half of his blade toward Jakkaru, who managed to raise his own crimson blade just in time to block the attack.

Kuzuri began using his full strength, pushing against what little opposition Jakkaru could offer. Jakkaru was forced to continually take more and more frequent steps back to avoid being over powered and cut down. From there, the clash began to take on a feeling not dissimilar to one of their training duels. Kuzuri began to attack more aggressively, and Jakkaru could feel himself tiring.

His lack of sleep was proving to be detrimental, giving him less energy with which to act. More and more he could feel the weight of his father's blows, and he could feel his own movements slowing. If he was going to escape…if he was going to survive this encounter…he would need to do something clever. He began to pay closer attention to his father's attacks, and waited for what he thought would be an opportunity to attack.

Seeing his chance when Kuzuri raised his saber above his head, Jakkaru braced himself. When his father swung downward, as opposed to simply blocking the attack, Jakkaru dodged to the left and, moving as quick as he could, swung his weapon, slicing straight through the hilt of Kuzuri's blade, deactivating and disabling the purple bladed lightsaber.

Kuzuri jumped out of Jakkaru's reach, his face contorted with rage. "Don't think you've won just because of this!"

Kuzuri became surrounded by a bluish white halo an instant before sending a burst of lightning at Jakkaru. Reacting to the attack, Jakkaru raised his mother's saber to block the blast of energy. The electricity crackled around him, filling his ears with the sound and bathing him in a mixture of light and heat.

Just barely audible over the crackling roar of the lightning, Jakkaru could hear his father shouting. "Now you will learn the price for crossing me, boy!"

Jakkaru looked around frantically, trying to think of something, anything that would allow him to break free of the attack and escape. Spotting a decent sized stone that appeared relatively loose, he reached out with the Force, and using every ounce of his concentration, he threw the stone at Kuzuri, hitting him in the arm, breaking his father's concentration and stopping the attack. Taking advantage of the distraction, Jakkaru turned and ran off into the darkness, leaving his 'home' behind.

Kuzuri growled. How in the hell had he been beaten by a child? He shook his head. Clearly, he had gone too easy on him. But, if Jakkaru truly wanted to leave and join the Republic, then fine. Kuzuri smiled. It wouldn't do the boy any good in the long run, and if they ever did meet again, Jakkaru would not be so lucky.

*~SW~*

Two days passed. Two days of slogging through swamps, avoiding horrific creatures, and getting little-if any-sleep. And after all that, Jakkaru had managed to arrive at the edge of Republic territory. He wasn't exactly clean, he was exhausted, and could barely believe he was alive, but he was.

As Jakk approached the edge of the Republic's resettlement zone, he stopped, considering what to do with his mother's saber. He didn't need it anymore, and walking into the Republic while carrying a Sith weapon may not be the best of ideas…but something made him want to hold on to the saber. Still feeling a bit conflicted on the subject, he slipped the silvery cylinder into his now almost empty bag.

Doing his best to stay out of sight, Jakk wound his way through the various structures and buildings that constituted the Republic's forward base. His attention was focused on reaching the space port and-hopefully-finding a way to get on a ship to leave Taris. He didn't care where he wound up after that. Anywhere else would be better.

Once inside the space port he began looking around for some indicator as to what ships may be leaving soon, and where they were going. Spotting a screen that listed exactly the information he was looking for, he looked over the list, and smiled. There was a ship leaving within the hour for Coruscant. The Republic capital. It would be the perfect place to go, if he could manage to get on board the ship.

Double checking the board to make sure he knew in which bay where ship was docked, he set off through the port. He had almost reached the docking bay when a voice from behind him said, "Hey kid, hold on for a second!"

He turned to see two Republic soldiers approaching him, their white armour gleaming under the space port's lights. "Uh…what is it?"

They stopped a few feet from him, both towering above him. The one who had spoken before asked, "What's a kid doing on his own around here? Where are your parents?"

Jakkaru had already prepared a few easy lies in case anyone asked him any questions, and he chose then to employ one of them. "My parents are on the ship headed for Coruscant. I had to go get something…so they told me to meet them on board."

The soldiers face was unreadable through his helmet, but after a moment he said. "Alright then. Come on, will make sure you get there before the ship takes off."

Jakk couldn't believe his luck. They had bought it, AND they were escorting him right to where he wanted to go. After a brief trip down a lift to the hangar, the two soldiers sent him aboard the transport ship, telling him to stay out of trouble before they left him behind.

Once aboard the ship, Jakk quickly found an unoccupied seat near the back of the transport, hoping that no one would bother him there. Half an hour later, the hull below him shook as the vessel fought against the force of Taris's gravity, then soared into space, shaking just a bit more as the hyperdrive was engaged and the ship began to travel faster than the speed of light.

Jakk let out a sigh of relief. He had made it. He had escaped, and now he was on his way to the Republic capital. He smiled slightly. After how bad the past week of his life had been, it was a nice change for things to be going well. Over the next few hours he spent time doing little more than sitting, as the ship clearly hadn't been designed with luxury in mind.

After a while, a man in a simple brown robe approached Jakkaru. "Excuse me, but would you mind if I sat here? The people near my other seat where rather…noisy." He gestured to the seat beside Jakk as he said this.

Jakk hesitated. He wanted to be left alone…but he didn't want to be unpleasant either. "Uh…yeah…it's okay."

The man smiled. "Thank you."

He took a seat, and fell silent immediately. Another hour or two passed before the man spoke again. "I feel compelled to wonder, if you don't mind my asking, what a child is doing alone on a ship leaving a place like Taris."

Using another of his prepared answers, Jakk said, "My parents were trying to settle on Taris…but they decided it was too dangerous for me, so they're sending me to live with relatives until they think it's safe for me."

"I see. That makes me wonder more. Like what you've been through that would make you lie to a total stranger like that."

Jakk tensed up. How had this man known he was lying? The man smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. Bad habit of mine. I tend to read people's emotions as they're answering. It invades their privacy I suppose…but it is useful when looking to know people's intentions."

Jakk stared at him, wide eyed, "But…how-?"

"Sorry again. I should have said so sooner." The man shifted his robe aside, revealing two silvery cylinders attached to his belt. Lightsabers. He was a Jedi.

Jakk's eyes went a bit wider. "You're…a Jedi."

The man nodded. "Yes. I am. But, if you don't mind, I would like to know what caused you to lie to me. I suppose you don't have to tell a stranger the truth, but I'm afraid my curiosity will get the better of me if I don't find out."

Jakk hesitated, but then thought, maybe he could help me in some way. So, taking a deep breath, Jakk spent the next hour or so telling the Jedi of all that had happened to him in the past several days. When he was done, he felt as though it was a huge relief, but he also couldn't help but feel like he would be judged for all that he had revealed.

The Jedi was quiet for a few minutes before finally saying. "I'm sorry for what you've been through. And, I'm also quite impressed. Based on what you've told me, escaping and reaching this point was no easy feat. I wonder though, what are the names of your parents? It would be useful to know what Sith are hiding on Taris."

Jakk didn't hesitate. He didn't really care what the Republic would do to his parents. "My mother's name is Iyanayatsu. My father's name is Kuzuri."

At the sound of Kuzuri's name, the Jedi seemed dumbstruck. Finding his voice he asked, "Would that be Kuzuri…Shiro?"

Jakk nodded, and couldn't help but notice that the Jedi was looking at him differently now. The Jedi took a deep breath, then said, "I'm sorry…that is a name I have not heard…in a long time."

The Jedi stopped then, and looked closely at Jakkaru, as though trying to determine something. Finally he said, "Jakkaru, I think it would be wise for you to speak to the Jedi Council, and tell them what you have told me."

Jakk nodded. "I…I can do that. Will it help somehow Master Jedi?" He asked, addressing the Jedi in the way he had heard once or twice before when his father would rant about the many failings of the Order.

The Jedi nodded with a small smile. "I do believe it will help. And, I prefer a less formal title, so please, call me Sen."


	6. Interlude II

Interlude II

Laila furrowed her brow, as though confused. "Sen? As in the same Sen that Kuzuri fought while leaving Coruscant?"

Jakkaru nodded. "Yes. Though at that moment, I knew nothing of their previous encounters or friendship."

"Still, it's a rather…unlikely occurrence. What was he doing on Taris in the first place?"

Jakk smiled. "Unlikely indeed. Maybe fate or perhaps the Force brought us together. Years later, Sen would tell me that he had been on Taris to see if and how the Jedi could help with the reclamation effort."

Laila nodded. "Alright, so what happened next?"

"Well, as Sen had suggested, he brought me before the Jedi Council. I told them everything that I could. They eventually sent several Masters to Taris to try to apprehend my parents, but, as could be expected, they had already left the planet."

"And what about you?"

Jakkaru hesitated before answering. "The very first thing I did once I had told them everything was to ask for their help in getting Okammii off Korriban. As you might imagine, they refused. Not because they wanted to be cruel, or because they didn't want to help, but because they couldn't. Master Satele explained to me that, Korriban had become an unassailable planet, and it would take the entire Republic fleet to successfully attack it, let alone what it would require to get troops on the ground. Simply put, it wasn't worth the cost to save one boy."

"That must have been difficult to hear after all you had been through."

He shook his head. "Not as much as you think. I had learned early on that death was just the end of life. Sadly, that was the day I accepted that I would likely never see my brother again."

They fell silent for a moment, as he seemed uninclined to say more on the subject, and she was reluctant to ask. Finally finding the simplest way to change the subject she asked, "So, how did your training as a Jedi begin? It couldn't have been just as simple as asking."

"Actually…it kinda was. Knowing that it was probably the best possible choice for my future, I asked if they would be willing to continue my training. Though they knew of my lineage, the Council claimed they sensed no darkness in me, and a few quick tests proved that I was strong in the Force. So, albeit reluctantly, they agreed to have me trained on Tython. And so, less than a month later I arrived on Tythonian soil, and there I would spend the next nine years…"


	7. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Graduation and a New Master

The Forge. Once a place where the ancient Je'daii had-as the name suggested-forged weapons and tools of metal. When the Jedi had relocated to Tython, the ancient structure had been redesigned to serve as a place for Padawans to construct their lightsabers. It was here that a now nineteen year old Jakkaru sat, meditating, becoming one with the Force.

After all the time he had spent on Tython, he had finally been deemed ready to face the final challenge of trekking through dangerous territory to reach the ancient stone shrine, where he would construct his very own saber. He had carefully selected the pieces that he would use, treating each one as part of a puzzle to be completed. These pieces of metal were laid out before him, waiting to be combined into the form of a hilt. Perhaps the most important piece was the crystal. Jakkaru had chosen the crystal himself, one of a mint green colour. As he had searched the caves of Tython for the right crystal, it had been that one that had called out to him, and it-like the parts he had so carefully picked out-waited before him, ready to be forged into a Jedi's most valuable tool.

As he continued to meditate, the various pieces began to lift into the air, moving as if of their own accord. The crystal floated into the center of the swirl of parts and pieces, before it was enclosed between two pieces that were then likewise covered by the skeleton of the hilt, as well as attaching to the emitter that would produce the blade. Finally the grips, power pack, and what ornamentation Jakkaru had chosen floated into place, the weapon twisting until all the parts were securely fit together.

Jakk opened his eyes with a smile as the completed saber fell into his outstretched hand. Getting to his feet, he held the saber out at arms length, admiring his work. It looked exactly how he had wanted it to appear. The hilt was mostly silver in colour, but there were also pieces of-rather ornate-pale gold metal as well. Taking in a deep breath, he mentally crossed his fingers and pressed the switch to ignite the blade. With the familiar snap-hiss the blade came into being, shining in the same mint green colour as the crystal.

He was amazed by how…perfect, the lightsaber felt. To him it seemed to be less a tool or a weapon, and more an extension of his own arm. Deactivating the saber, he clipped it to his belt with another smile. Now, he was finally ready to leave Tython. Looking down by his feet, he could see the training blade he had arrived at the Forge with. Most of the padawans on Tython carried such a weapon, as it was a symbol of their training still being incomplete.

He hesitated, then picked up the blade, placing it across his back. It seemed wrong to leave it, after it had seen him through nine years of training. With one final glance back at the Forge, Jakkaru turned and descended the stone steps, setting off back toward the Jedi Temple.

~SW~

Upon his return to the Temple, Jakkaru immediately went to appear before the Council. It was in the Council chamber that he now knelt, awaiting the Masters' judgment. The seconds ticked by, but they remained silent. He was willing to wait through their silence. In his time on Tython he had learned much, including the importance of things like patience.

Finally, Grand Master Satele Shan stepped forward. "Rise, Jakkaru Shiro. With the completion of your mission to the Forge, you have constructed your own blade, and have thus completed your training on Tython."

Jakkaru did as instructed and stood to his full height, which he couldn't help but notice now put him about two inches taller then Master Satele. How things have changed, he mused. "Thank you Master. I am honoured."

Satele smiled, ever so slightly. "Do not thank me. It is your own training that has brought you to this point. In preparation for this, the Council has assigned a Master to take you through the rest of your training."

Jakkaru nodded. "I had assumed that would be the case. Who has been chosen?"

From behind Master Satele, another member of the Council, Master Orgus Din, laughed. "Not so much chosen, as requested the moment he got his own rank."

Jakkaru quirked a brow. "Requested? Someone requested to train me?"

Master Satele nodded. "He said it would seem, fitting, for him to train you. The Council has-albeit with great consideration before hand-agreed." Raising her voice slightly she said, "You may enter now."

The doors to the Council Chamber opened, and Jakkaru's eyes went wide as the all too familiar face of Sen greeted him. Sen smiled as he entered the room. "Jeez, everyone seems so cheery. This should be a more celebratory occasion, don't you think? A Padawan finally gets to leave Tython and travel the galaxy. The least you folks could do is smile."

That statement alone caused Jakk to smile. He gad gotten to know Sen rather well in the time since they had first met, and that attitude and playful manner had brought more than a few smiles to Jakk in all that time. Still smiling, Jakk asked, "Sen, when did you become a Master?"

"About two weeks ago." With a wink he added, "And that's Master Sen to you, Padawan."

A quiet, but still audible groan came from some of the assembled Council members. Clearly, some of them weren't too fond of Sen's promotion. Ignoring them, Jakkaru asked, "So you're going to be training me then?"

Sen nodded. "Yes, I am. I'm sure it will be plenty of fun. Well, for me anyway."

Jakkaru sighed. "Being a Master hasn't changed you much then."

Sen shook his head, then turned to Master Satele and-while adopting a more formal air-said, "If you would be agreeable Master Satele, I would like to begin working with my new Padawan immediately."

Satele nodded. "Very well."

Sen smiled. "Excellent. Come on Jakkaru, let's get moving!"

Sen immediately turned and walked out of the Council Chamber, clearly expecting Jakkaru to follow him. Taking a quick look over his shoulder Jakk said, "Well, I guess I'll be going then. Farewell all."

Jakk then followed after Sen, moving quickly to catch up to his new Master. Falling into step behind Sen, he asked, "So where to now, Master?"

Sen smiled. "Well, the Council has given me a mission to Alderaan, and you're coming with me."

"Wow…really? I've heard Alderaan is a beautiful planet."

"It is, when its houses aren't fighting with each other and tearing up the country side."

"Houses?" Jakk asked.

Sen smiled wearily. "Aye, the noble houses of Alderaan. I'll tell you more about them en route, but the short version is none of them like each other very much."

Jakk nodded. "Have you ever been there before?"

"Once or twice. I prefer Corellia personally…but then I was born on Corellia, so I'm a bit biased."

Jakkaru laughed. "Maybe just a bit."

As they made their way through the Temple to the shuttle bays they continued talking and joking, acting for all the world as though they were merely friends, as opposed Master and Padawan.


	8. Interlude III

Interlude III

Jakk sat back in his seat, a gleam in his eyes. "And so, we went to Alderaan. It was a rather simple mission. Some Ulgo noble had hired some Rist assassin to kill a member of House Organa. We dealt with it, and moved on. Things went pretty well for us like that. We made a good team, and had quite a few adventures all over the galaxy. Mostly situations were like that one, since the Cold War hadn't devolved into war at that point and the Treaty was keeping the Sith at bay. Not to say we never fought any Sith, but they were few and far between."

Laila smiled. "Sounds like you two had a lot of fun together."

He laughed. "Well, it wasn't always fun, but it was certainly exciting."

"So, what comes next?"

Jakkaru sighed. "Well, like I said earlier, this isn't just my story. There are other stories that intersect with it, and even merge into it. So, this is going to be one of those parts."

She leaned in a bit closer as though she were more interested now. "Okay, so what is it then?"

He smiled, "Well, this took place at around the same time that I was traveling around as a Sen's Padawan. Do you know what a Chiss is?"

"Uh…let's see…blue skin, red eyes, and allied with the Empire, right?"

"Well, you have the basics anyway. So then, the Chiss home world is said to be somewhere in the Unknown Regions. A planet called Csilla. This is where the next part of my story takes place, though I wasn't actually present for it. Instead, this story stems from the account of a Chiss woman named Mesu'inu'csalpar…"


	9. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: For the Want of Freedom

Csilla. A frozen planet deep in the Unknown Regions, home to blue glaciers and similar arctic wastelands. But more importantly, it was home to the Chiss species, serving as the capital world of the Chiss Ascendancy. The Chiss would be described by some outsiders as rather rigid and unemotional, though they would disagree, as their own perception of their species didn't suffer from any observation biases. Even so, it couldn't be argued that the Chiss were more reserved than many other species in the galaxy. One Chiss though, a young woman, felt as constrained as could be within the underground cities of her people.

Mesu'inu'csalpar. She was thirteen years old-or at least thirteen Csillan years. She had learned that in what were referred to as 'galactic standard years', she was eighteen years old. She liked that number better, as-even though she was still an adult either way-it made her feel older somehow. It also made her feel…more important somehow.

But then, she didn't feel very important at the moment, huddled under the covers of her bed, wishing she could be anyone else. All her life she had been…different from any other Chiss she new. She tended to be more emotional, and also had a greater interest in the larger galaxy. She wanted to go out and explore and interact with other species, and she wanted to do it in her own way. Naturally, most every other Chiss seemed unable to understand her.

She sighed softly. That wasn't even her worst problem though. Her family had made the decision that she lacked drive or discipline. So, in order to hopefully learn to be more driven and disciplined-in other words, a better Chiss-she was to be sent to the Sith Empire, to be trained by their military. She loathed the idea. Her present life's constraints would be nothing compared to those imposed by a military structure, especially one as rigid as the Sith Empire.

It seemed as though she was destined to be restrained by those around her. She lifted her head slightly at the sound of foot steps approaching her room. At that moment, she didn't want to speak to anyone, so she laid her head back down, hoping whoever it was would just think her asleep.

Then, she heard a male voice speak her name. Her FULL name. Sitting bolt upright she shot an irritated look at the male Chiss standing in the doorway and-in the Chiss language of Cheunh-asked, "What have I told you about saying all that? You know how much I hate it!"

The Chiss in question, Itachi'visvia'sabosen, flinched slightly at the outburst. "My apologies. I thought a formal approach might be warranted at the moment."

"Well it's not." She laid back down, feeling only slightly bad about snapping at him. They had been friends since childhood, and had recently become more, but he still acted too much like every other Chiss she knew, even if he did understand her better than any other.

He cleared his throat. "Well, I believe this to be a rather important occasion, so some formality should be observed."

"Important how?"

Daring to approach, he sat on the edge of her bed before continuing. "I thought you may like to know that-like you-I will be heading off to join the Sith Empire's forces."

She scoffed. "I'd like it better if I didn't have to go."

He smiled slightly. "Perhaps this will improve your mood: we may be starting off toward Imperial space, but I have a plan that may just change our final destination."

She sat up, more interested now. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, I just found out that we won't go directly to the training facility. Instead, we board a shuttle to the Vaiken Space Dock-the primary staging point of the Imperial Fleet-and then we are to board another ship that will take us the rest of the way. However, there really isn't anything preventing us from switching transports."

Her eyes went wide. "Would that work?"

He nodded. "In theory, but we would only be able to choose from Imperial controlled worlds or neutral worlds to wind up on."

"But even so…if we could get out from under both Imperial and Ascendancy control…" She trailed off, almost to disbelieving to want to continue.

"Then you would finally have the freedom you want."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Why get yourself involved in this? It could cause a lot of trouble for you."

He hesitated. "Because…this is what you want, and I care about you."

She was taken aback by that, not used to him admitting his feelings for her in any way. Eventually she smiled and said, "Well thank you, for caring."

*~SW~*

One galactic week passed before the two Chiss arrived-as planned-at the Vaiken Space Dock. Mesu in particular found the experience of it somewhat exhilarating, being surrounded by all the new people and things. It was an odd experience for her, to not be surrounded by blue. Turning to Itachi, who was currently walking beside her, she asked, "So what now?"

"Now we find the next transport bound for a neutral world, and we make sure we're on it."

She nodded as she refocused on the task at hand. After all, if they succeeded, there would be plenty of time to take in new sights.

As it turned out, several minutes of searching revealed the next transport off the station was bound for Nar Shaddaa. Mesu was sceptical at best about choosing the Smuggler's Moon as their destination. "It seems a bit…seedy. From what I've heard, the Hutts control it, but there's barely any enforcement of any laws."

Itachi nodded. "That's why it would be prefect. At least as a starting point. We can go somewhere else if it turns out to be truly horrible."

"Alright then, let's go."

They set off through the station, headed toward the bay where the transport to Nar Shaddaa was docked. As they approached the vessel they could see an Imperial trooper standing at the boarding ramp, apparently checking to make sure only cleared passengers were getting on board. When the came close he held up a hand to stop them. "Hold there. Identification is required."

Almost faster than the eye could see, Itachi pulled out a small blaster and had it at the soldier's throat. "Are you daring to question members of Imperial Intelligence? Because that could end rather poorly for you."

Mesu fought back the urge to laugh as the soldier stammered in fear, trembling slightly. Gulping, the soldier shook his head. "Of course not sir. Just trying to do my job sir."

Itachi sneered as he pulled the gun away. "Well try to do your job better. Now step aside trooper."

The soldier nodded. "Of course sir. My apologies."

They boarded the ship, walking pass the shaken soldier. Once they were out of his earshot, Mesu said, "That was quite the performance. If I didn't know you better I would have believed it."

He smiled slightly. "I knew that there would probably be a point where such a deception would be necessary. I felt it best to be prepared."

"Well, well done."

They settled themselves in on board, and within the hour, the ship took off, carrying two now fugitive passengers onward toward Nar Shaddaa.


	10. Interlude IV

Interlude IV

Laila canted her head. "So, I'm a bit confused. What does this…Mesuinu woman have to do with…anything?"

Jakk hesitated. "I'll…well…it'll become clear in time."

Laila sat back, a somewhat dissatisfied expression on her face. "Alright then. So what comes next?"

"Well, after a year of traveling around the galaxy with Sen, I ascended to the rank of Knight, and struck out on my own. During that time I decided to follow in my master's footsteps, and with some training became a Jedi Sentinel, a Jedi who fights with twin sabers and force techniques designed to enhance speed and strength. Sen and I still worked together on missions occasionally, but for the most part we went our own ways for about the next few years after that. So what comes next is that, nearly eight years after I completed my training on Tython, Sen and I were reunited for a special mission to the planet Ilum."

"Ilum? Isn't that the world with the Jedi Temple, and all the crystal caves?"

Jakk nodded. "Yep. See, there came a point where the Empire discovered the place, and of course the Republic had to try to defend it, s o it became a bit…war torn."

"Alright, so what were you sent there for?"

"Are you familiar with the Gree?"

She shook her head. "No. It doesn't sound familiar. What is it?"

"Not what, who. The Gree are an ancient species, older than most-if not all-species alive today. See, they landed on Ilum because they were…curious about the fighting between the Empire and the Republic. The Gree are generally reclusive, but if they want to study something, there's not much that'll stop them. However, the Gree encountered some unexpected difficulties on Ilum, and sent out a request to the Jedi for assistance, because-as they would say-they required a Black Bisector…


End file.
